Modi Urges Putin to End War in Ukraine at BRICS Talks

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi implored Russian President Vladimir Putin to cease hostilities in Ukraine during private talks held off the official agenda of the BRICS summit in New Delhi. During this meeting, Modi reiterated India's stance on diplomacy, stating that "dialogue and diplomacy are the path to resolving conflicts," and reaffirming India's readiness to back international peace initiatives.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reported that Modi and Putin discussed regional and international security concerns, including conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea, which have hindered sea trade and endangered crew members. These concerns stemmed from drone and missile attacks on shipping vessels in the Black Sea, leading to the deaths of five Indian seafarers in recent weeks and prompting official protests from New Delhi to Moscow and Kyiv.

This exchange is Modi's second direct appeal to Putin to cease military operations within a two-week period; on August 31, during a bilateral meeting at the SCO summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Modi called on Putin to transition from an "endless war to ending the war." Modi, drawing on India's foreign policy tenets, noted that prolonged warfare hinders global stability, while efforts towards peace foster renewal and optimism.

India maintains substantial economic and defense connections with Russia, increasing its imports of discounted Russian oil despite not joining Western sanctions against Moscow. Nevertheless, New Delhi has consistently refrained from backing Russia's military actions, engaging in dialogue with Kyiv and championing a negotiated resolution anchored in international law.

The bilateral meeting in New Delhi follows an earlier diplomatic mission by External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to Kyiv in early September, where President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged India's dedication to diplomatic efforts. The bilateral talks occurred as leaders convened for the BRICS summit in New Delhi, with Chinese President Xi Jinping making his inaugural official visit to India since 2019, symbolizing improving relations between the two Asian nations following 2020 border skirmishes in the Himalayas.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also attended the summit, focusing on regional turmoil in the Middle East and energy transit security alongside representatives from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.